Benchmark International Successfully Facilitated the Transaction Between Harper and Willow Ltd (t/a Disturbia) and Refined Capital Partners Limited

Benchmark International is pleased to announce the transaction between Disturbia and Refined Capital Partners.

Headquartered in the UK, Disturbia is a designer and retailer of apparel, accessories, and lifestyle products. The company has built a global community of over 800,000 followers by creating unconventionally authentic clothing and accessories for those with a rebellious disinterest in homogenous fashion.

The brand’s founding principle of radically unapologetic self-expression has increasingly resonated, accelerating the growth of its customer base in the USA, UK and beyond. In the year ended 31 January 2024, the brand achieved sales growth of +63% to reach £18.1 million, of which over a third was achieved in the USA.

Refined Capital Partners backs founders and entrepreneurs who have built exceptional consumer brands, or the technology on which they depend. Its team of entrepreneurs provide hands-on guidance to brands, supporting their growth through the investment of the company’s equity capital (£2 million to £20 million), development of internal management capability, implementation of operational best practices, and digital transformation.

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In order to support the continued growth of the Disturbia brand, Refined Capital has announced the promotion of Richard Leeson to CEO, alongside the external appointments of Gareth Dixon as CFO, Kara Devlin as Product Director, Rhiannon Roberts as Buying Director and Paul Clough as E-Commerce Director. They will be joined on the Board by Disturbia’s founders, Frank and Helen Major, as well as an established non-executive team comprising Ben Barnett, Anastasia Fadeeva (Refined Capital Partners) and Helgi Bergs (Kvika). Retail veteran Paul Allen will join the board at completion, to support the brand in the first 6 months of transition.

Ben Barnett, incoming Chair, commented: “We are delighted to be backing this iconic alternative fashion brand. With Richard’s promotion and the new hires announced today, Disturbia has an exceptional management team capable of further accelerating the global growth of the brand. Frank and Helen will remain on the board as significant shareholders and partners for the next leg of the journey, upholding the shared vision and values of the brand as we continue to ‘disturb the comfortable’.”

Richard Leeson, CEO of Disturbia, added: “I am thrilled to be leading Disturbia at this pivotal point in the life of the brand. With the support of our global community, the brand has seen growth accelerate in recent years as our unconventionally authentic clothing has increasingly resonated as a genuine alternative to homogenous fast fashion. I am excited to work with the board to further develop this iconic brand.”

On working with Benchmark International, Frank Major said: “James, Alex, and the team at Benchmark were invaluable as counsel and mentor throughout the sale of our Share Purchase Agreement. James and Alex were always personable, highly professional and made the whole process frictionless.”

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